What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that anyone can learn any subject if they are willing to put in the time and have a teacher that can put the concepts into terms they can understand.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First, I will ask the student if they know what learning style they are best suited to. If they are uncertain, I will ask them some questions based on what I have learned about the different styles and try to determine theirs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Practice makes perfect, but I like to show a student how to study more efficiently because no one has time to work through every section of every textbook.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

This is where my experience in weightlifting comes in handy. In this sport, you have to learn to appreciate reaching small goals on your way to your major goal. I will point out their improvements along the way, even if their goal is to go from a D to an A, and help them understand that it does not happen overnight.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

This relates back to developing better study habits and adjusting to a student's learning style. I would try to adapt the approach to solving the problem to see if that helps. If not, I might suggest more practice in this concept.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I get them to work through some exercises and pinpoint the area they are having trouble with, particularly grammar, vocabulary, or general comprehension. Then I tailor study materials and sessions to those skills.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Listening is the most powerful tool I have found to start with. This is how you find out what they need in regards to a subject instead of trying to tackle the entire curriculum in a limited amount of time.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

The easiest way to get a student excited about a subject is to help them obtain the ability to start solving questions on their own. Most students dislike a subject that they struggle with until they have some success, and then they get excited.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

I like to demonstrate a few problems while they watch, similar to a lecture. Then, I like to work through some problems, allowing them to try the methods first, but also allowing them to ask questions. The rest is practice.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

I like to tell them about my personal struggles in areas and remind them that most people are not born with a natural mastery of a subject.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Usually, when a student seeks tutoring, they have an idea of the area of a subject they are struggling with. While we are working on that area, I watch for any other field they have trouble with.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

I start with the approach that worked best for me and see if that seems to work for them. If not, I explore other ways of solving the problem that exist.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

Although this depends on the subject, I am a fan of pen and paper (or their electronic equivalents). I will also show them any internet resources that I found helpful.